Investigating the reduction of sodium adsorption ratio from agricultural waste by rice husk in batch scale and physical model of drain envelop

Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) is one of the water quality indexes that whose is important due to reuse or depletion to environment. Solutes in drain water can be controlled by adsorption, chemical or biological reaction, organic envelope of drainage. Rice husk is the common option of drainage envelops in paddy fields. In this study, the ability of reduction of SAR by rice husk was evaluated in batch scale and physical model of drain envelops. In the batch experiments, the adsorption of SAR parameters was investigated by adding 2 g of rice husk into a 100 ml of sodium chloride solution. The results indicated that rice husk absorbed calcium, magnesium and sodium, respectively. By increasing the temperature, contact time and pH, adsorption of calcium, magnesium and sodium was increased; however, the higher concentration of sodium in soil solution reduced the percentage of adsorption. In a more realistic state, physical models of subsurface drainage in the paddy fields were made. Drainage envelope treatments included of rice husk (H), combination of 20 and 60 % of husk with gravel (H₂₀G₈₀ and H₆₀G₄₀) and a pipe without envelope (NE). Due to higher drain discharge and more sodium removal (lower SAR in drain water), treatment H with the discharge of 16.2 ml/min and SAR of 1.27 (meq/l)^0.5 was better in comparison with other treatments.     

Mechanical behaviour of composites filled by agro-waste materials

The present paper is concerned with the effect of cork and rice husk ash micro particles fillers on the mechanical properties (flexural resistance, fracture toughness, impact absorbed energy, elastic and viscous moduli) of polyester based composite. Composite sheets were hand molded using weight filler fractions of 1, 2.5, and 5 %. Flexural strength of filled materials was much lower than the polyester matrix, with more pronounced effect for cork powder, decreasing significantly with filler content increases. Fracture toughness decreases also on the filled composites. Using cork powder fracture toughness decreases significantly when filler content increases, while for rice husk ash filler a slight increase was observed. Both fillers improve absorbed impact energy, peaking at about 2.5 % of filler content. Best improvements were obtained using rice husk ash powder, reaching about 30 %. Both fillers increase glass transition temperature and the maximum use temperature and also the elastic modulus compared with polyester. It can be concluded from this study that the used agro-waste materials are attractive reinforcements from the standpoint of their mechanical properties.     

Rice yield and soil carbon dynamics over three years of applying rice husk charcoal to an Andosol paddy field

Rice husk charcoal (RC) produced from the pyrolysis of rice husk (RH) can be one of the cost-effective biochars for use in rice-based farming systems. This study investigated changes in rice yield and soil carbon sequestration over three years of RC application to an Andosol paddy field. The treatments were RC application at 0.02, 0.2, and 2 kg m^?2 (RC0.02, RC0.2, and RC2, respectively), RH application at 0.2 kg m^?2 (RH0.2), and a control with no RC or RH application (CONT). The results showed that RC2 increased culm length by 4% and straw weight by 14% on average over the three years. These increases in plant growth coincided with a higher level of silicon uptake by the rice plants, although they did not significantly affect grain yield. The soil carbon content was progressively increased by RC2 over the three years, whereas it was not significantly affected by RC0.02 or RC0.2. A considerable amount (>72%) of the applied carbon with RC2 remained in the soil by taking account of its downward movement below the 10 cm layer of the paddy field after three consecutive years of RC application. We conclude that rice husk charcoal application to Andosol paddy fields is an effective option for increasing carbon sequestration. Furthermore, the increase in silicon uptake by rice plants suggests that rice husk charcoal can also be functioning as a silicon fertilizer.     

马铃薯脱毒苗在不同基质配比条件下生产原原种的产量性状和经济参数

为了探讨马铃薯原原种适宜的生产基质问题,选用‘荷兰15号’和‘克新13号’的脱毒苗为试验材料,采用单因素随机设计,共设计14种基质类型,分析了不同基质类型对马铃薯原原种产量性状(商品薯产量和总产)和经济参数(利润和经济效益)的影响。研究结果表明:对于‘荷兰15号’品种而言,采用"草炭+炉灰=3:1"的基质,可获得最高的产量和效益;其次是"草炭+珍珠岩+炉灰=2:1:1"和"草炭+珍珠岩+稻壳=2:1:1",采用这些基质也可获得较好的产量和效益。对于‘克新13号’品种而言,采用"草炭+珍珠岩+炉灰=4:2:1"的基质,可获得最高的产量和效益;其次是"草炭+炉灰=3:1"的基质,采用这种基质也可获得较好的产量和经济效益。     

Effects of agri-environmental and organic rice farming on yield and macrophyte community in Mediterranean paddy fields

The Ebro Delta (Catalonia, Spain) is one of the largest wetland areas in the Mediterranean with 65% of its area occupied by rice fields. Because of the crucial role of rice fields in biodiversity and the regional economy, it is essential to find an optimum equilibrium between wetland conservation and rice productivity. The environmental and agronomic effects of three cropping systems with different degrees of farming intensity (organic, agri-environmental scheme and conventional) were assessed. The three cropping systems mainly differed in the use of agrochemicals, type of fertilizer and winter flooding. A 3-year field study was conducted in which agronomic performance and diversity and dynamics of macrophyte community in rice fields were assessed. Agri-environmental system yielded the same as the conventional one, whereas organic system significantly reduced grain yield. Biomass of weeds and macrophytes was the main contributor to yield decline. Both organic and agri-environmental systems, through winter flooding, promote the ecological succession and temporal heterogeneity of the macrophyte community in rice fields, whereas less impact on macrophyte diversity was observed. Filamentous algae were the most abundant group irrespective of the cropping system, followed by Chara vulgaris, Najas minor and Lemna minor in conventional, organic and agri-environmental systems, respectively. The environmental and agronomic benefits of winter flooding are discussed along with the current limitations of organic farming and suggested measures to make it agronomically feasible. This discussion is done under an integrative approach in which the agri-environmental legislation for the last 20 years is examined.     

呋虫胺在水稻生态系统中的残留消解及膳食风险评估

为评价呋虫胺在水稻生态系统中的残留消解行为和产生的膳食摄入风险,于2014年在海南、湖南和黑龙江进行了规范残留试验,建立了高效液相色谱法（HPLC）的分析方法检测呋虫胺在水稻糙米、稻壳、稻株、土壤、田水中的残留,并对我国不同人群的膳食暴露风险进行了评估。样品经乙腈提取,NH₂柱层析净化,高效液相色谱-紫外检测器（HPLC-UV）检测,外标法定量。结果表明,在0.02~0.5 mg/kg添加水平下,呋虫胺的平均回收率在75%~114%之间,相对标准偏差（RSD）在0.5%~19.0%之间;呋虫胺的最低检测浓度（LOQ）,稻株与稻壳中为0.1 mg/kg,糙米中为0.05 mg/kg,土壤与田水中为0.02 mg/kg;呋虫胺最小检出量（LOD）为0.08 ng。呋虫胺的消解基本符合一级动力学方程,半衰期在稻株中约0.5 d,田水中约1 d,土壤中约5 d。距末次施药后14 d糙米中呋虫胺的残留中值为0.058 mg/kg,最大残留值为0.13 mg/kg,低于我国规定的最大残留限量1 mg/kg。风险评估表明中国人群对稻米中呋虫胺长期膳食摄入的慢性风险较低。     

Incombustibility,physico-mechanical properties and TVOC emission behavior of the gypsum–rice husk boards for wall and ceiling materials for construction

Rice husk is a by-product of rice milling process, and a great resource as a raw biomass material for manufacturing value-added composite products. One of the potential applications is to use rice husk as filler for manufacturing gypsum–rice husk boards for wall and ceiling materials for construction. We investigated the effect of rice husk, addition on selected physico-mechanical properties, total volatile organic compound (TVOC), and incombustibility, on the gypsum board. With increasing rice husk contents, water and moisture absorption was decreased. Because of the replacement of pore between gypsum particles by rice husk, the moisture absorption was decreased as rice husk adding contents. By rice husk adding, MOR of the gypsum–rice husk boards were increased up to 9.8 MPa at 30 wt%. However, MOR was decreased more than 40 wt% of adding contents. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) showed similar behavior with MOR. However, internal bonding strength (IB) was slightly increased as rice husk adding contents up to 20 wt%, 0.5 MPa and decreased over 20 wt%. The incombustibility of the gypsum–rice husk boards decreased on increasing the rice husk adding content. However, up to 30 wt% of rice husk adding contents board samples was of incombustibility first class. Gypsum particle can be replaced up to 30 wt% by rice husk with incombustibility first class for housing materials. In all cases, TVOC emission factor and formaldehyde emission remained under the ‘Excellent’ grade as defined by Korean Air Clean Association (KACA).     

Investigating external effects of shrimp farming on rice farming in southern Thailand: a technical efficiency approach

Rice and shrimp farming are two important economic activities in rural southern Thailand that compete each other in land allocation leading to land use conflicts. Moreover, it can be observed that the conversion of rice fields to shrimp farms is already extended from coastal areas to the inlands. These conversions are making more area be saline which is essential condition for shrimp cultivation but deleterious for rice farming. We are looking at the unidirectional externalities originating from the conversion which brings the productivity of adjacent rice fields further down. This study attempts to quantify the external effects on rice yield and efficiency of rice farming by constructing three models. Model I, we assess the rice yield function by using the multiple linear regression while in Model II, we attempt to delineate the technical efficient frontier of rice farms by using an input oriented non-parametric approach, so called data envelopment analysis. Model III, we probe into the factors influencing technical efficiency scores using the Tobit regression. Database of the study is constituted by primary survey data from 120 rice farms in Songkhla province for the crop year 2004/2005. The 30 out of 120 sample farms have been affected by externality of shrimp farming. The empirical results of all three models show that shrimp farming externalities caused a production drop of 467–515 kg paddy rice per ha and significantly affect the technical efficiency of rice farms. The measures of internalizing this externality are discussed.     

4种不同氮源对稻壳腐熟处理效果的研究

为寻求稻壳腐熟发酵的最佳氮源,通过单因素实验设计选取鸡粪、硫酸铵、硝酸铵、尿素4种材料作为稻壳腐熟处理氮源,研究稻壳发酵过程中物理化学性质及腐熟度变化情况,并进行育苗检验。结果表明,稻壳经过腐熟处理其理化性能有所改良,其含有的有机质、纤维素、可溶性糖得到不同程度的降解,腐熟发酵后稻壳基质趋于稳定。通过腐熟发酵过程及育苗实验综合分析得出,单一尿素作为稻壳腐熟氮源效果不理想,鸡粪作为稻壳腐熟氮源效果最好。     

Effects of a Microbial Inoculant and Organic Fertilizers on the Growth,Photosynthesis and Yield of Sweet Corn

Summary

A microbial inoculant known as Effective Microorganisms or EM is a mixed culture of naturally-occurring, beneficial microorganisms (predominantly lactic acid bacteria, yeast, actinomycetes, photosynthetic bacteria and certain fungi) that has been used with considerable success to improve soil quality and the growth and yield of crops, particularly in nature farming and organic farming systems. Despite this success, the exact mechanisms of how this EM elicits such beneficial effects is largely unknown. Consequently, a study was conducted to determine the effects of EM and organic fertilizer on the growth, photosynthesis, and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays L.) under glasshouse conditions, compared with chemical fertilizer. An organic fertilizer consisting of a mixture of oilseed mill sludge, rice husk and bran, and fish processing waste, was inoculated and fermented with EM as the microbial inoculant. The organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer were then applied to respective pots to compare the growth, yield and physiological response of sweet corn plants. EM applied with the organic fertilizer was shown to promote root growth and activity, and to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and capacity, which resulted in increased grain yield. This was attributed largely to a higher level of nutrient availability facilitated by EM application over time. Interestingly, during the early stage of the experiment, the growth and dry matter yield of plants that received organic fertilizer were actually lower than those treated with chemical fertilizer that provided higher initial levels of macronutrients. However, during the intermediate and late growth stages, EM increased the nutrient availability of the organic fertilizer to a higher level, than the chemical fertilizer. Consequently, even though there was an early lower growth rate for plants that received EM-fermented organic fertilizer compared with chemical fertilizer, the final biomass and grain yield from organic fertilizer was equal to or higher than from chemical fertilizer.     

Identification of Nutrients Limiting Rice Growth in Soils of Northeast Thailand under Water-Limiting and Non-Limiting Conditions

Summary

Glasshouse nutrient omission trials are useful in identifying nutrient limitations for plant growth in soils under the same environmental conditions. Soils of low fertility are commonly used for production of rainfed lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.), and the crop often encounters water stress. Nutrient requirements may be modified when standing water disappears from the field. Two experiments with rice seedlings were conducted in a glasshouse at Ubon Rice Research Center, Thailand, to identify the nutrients which limit rice growth in soils of Northeast Thailand, and to determine whether nutrient limitations are affected by water availability. In Experiment 1, rice was grown on two soils (Roi et and Ubon series) under well-watered and water-limiting conditions, and 15 nutrient treatments were imposed. In Experiment 2, six soils from Northeast Thailand were examined using the same 15 nutrient treatments. The nutrients which clearly limited the growth of rice plants in soils of Northeast Thailand were nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). In some cases, potassium (K) and sulfur (S) also limited growth, and in one soil zinc (Zn) and boron (B) also limited growth. A shortage of N was the most important limitation for plant growth in all soils except one in which P was more important. The low supply of P decreased plant height and leaf area development during early growth ; low N supply had a greater effect later during growth. The omission of P had a larger detrimental effect on growth when water supply was limited. In the Roi et soil, the omission of S had a large effect on leaf area and total dry matter production only under water stress conditions, but this was not found in the other soils examined. These results from glasshouse studies show that the nutrients limiting rice growth depend on soil type and water availability in soils of Northeast Thailand.     

Rice husk biochar application to paddy soil and its effects on soil physical properties,plant growth,and methane emission

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the application of rice husk biochar on selected soil physical properties, rice growth, including root extension, and methane (CH₄) emissions from paddy field soil. Three replication experiments were conducted using outdoor pot experiments utilizing commercial rice husk biochar mixed with paddy soil at a rate of 0 (control), 2, and 4 % (weight biochar/weight soil) in which the rice was cultivated for 100 days under a continuously flooded condition. The physical properties of soils were analyzed before and after the growing periods. Some parameters of rice growth and CH₄ emissions of paddy soils were monitored weekly during the experiment. Root extension was also analyzed after harvesting. The experiments showed that the application of rice husk biochar improved the physical properties of paddy soils. It led to a decrease in bulk density and an increase in saturated hydraulic conductivity, including the total pore volume as well as the available soil water content. The shoot height of rice plants was significantly higher in soil amended with 4 % biochar than that in the control soil. However, other plant growth parameters and root extension were only slightly affected by the application. It was also found that amending soil with biochar led to a reduction of the total CH₄ emissions by 45.2 and 54.9 % for an application rate of 2 and 4 %, respectively, compared with the control. Our results showed that the higher the application rate, the stronger the effect of biochar was observed. More research is still necessary for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms.     

稻鸭共作有机稻生产中几个关键问题的技术探讨

2011-2013年在江苏省江阴市开展了稻鸭共作有机稻生产与鸭子安全放养技术的研究。结果表明,提高栽插密度是稻鸭共作有机稻取得高产的关键;40.0℃是稻田鸭子生存的极限高温,在36.0℃～38.5℃的连续高温条件下,通过灌20 cm左右的深水层,并采用边灌边排的方法可有效防止鸭子中暑死亡;将两块稻田隔成一个围养单元,通过两块稻田轮流搁田的方法可有效解决水稻中后期的水分管理。     

有机水稻生产环境下稻鸭共作对稻米品质影响性研究

试验利用免耕轻耙技术培育有机水稻生产环境,研究稻鸭共作有机水稻与常规有机水稻生产技术对稻米品质影响性研究。结果表明:稻鸭共作有利水稻生产可以提高稻米品质,其中尤以受环境影响较大的稻米加工品质、外观品质方面指标提升显著,表现为整精米率升高、垩白米率、垩白度降低。而对于受遗传影响较多的蒸煮品质指标以及主要以蒸煮品质指标判定的食味品质,稻鸭共作影响较小,其中胶稠度基本不受影响,直链淀粉含量和食味值变幅也较小。     

Antioxidant Activities and Characterization of Polyphenols from Selected Northern Thai Rice Husks: Relation with Seed Attributes

Rice production generates a significant amount of agricultural waste. This study aimed to give results related to the existence of antioxidant phenols in agricultural waste of selected Northern Thai rice varieties. The antioxidant activities, contents of total flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the ethanolic rice husk extract were evaluated. The highest antioxidant activities were found in the variety PES1CMU, with 2,2?-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl as 679.66 and 4.16 mmol/(L·g) trolox equivalent, respectively, ferric reducing antioxidant power as 0.87 mmol/(L·g) Fe²⁺, total phenolic content as 29.90 mmol/(L·g) gallic acid and total flavonoid content as 12.16 mg/g catechin equivalent. Polyphenol compounds were identified mainly by standard polyphenols using the liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, with the highest contents of phytic acid, o-coumaric acid, naringin and kaempferol. The non-glutenous and wetland ecotypes of rice husk samples were the richest in antioxidant activities and polyphenol contents characterized by using principal component analysis. The glutenous rice husk contained higher antioxidant activities than the rest. Interestingly, quercetin is a significant phenolic compound that positively correlated with the overall antioxidant activities of rice husk. This finding will be relevant for future application of rice husk antioxidant components in the production of functional ingredients as well as for the food and pharmaceutical industries.     

Modeling behavior pattern of Iranian organic paddy farmers

This study designed an organic farmer's behavior model based on the Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. The methodology was Mixed Method Research. In the qualitative phase, ten rice producers who received healthy product certification from Standard Organization were interviewed. The results of qualitative research showed that factors affecting the organic farming conversion consisted of facilitating factors and barriers. Facilitating factors include motivations and profits and barriers include challenges and costs. In quantitative phase, 250 rice producers were randomly interviewed. The results of quantitative research showed that attitude and subjective norms of rice producers have a significant positive effect on their intension toward organic farming. Ajzen’s model has been improved by adding variables such as knowledge, self-identity and moral obligation . As a result, the model is improved and approximately 92 % of the variance of rice producers’ behavior in organic farming is explained by research variables.     

Correlation of Nitrogen Concentration with Dry-Matter Partitioning to Spikelets and Total Husk Volume on the Panicle in Japonica Rice

Summary

A rice husk restricts the grain development physically. We examined the correlation of the total husk volume on a panicle, a parameter of yield capacity, with the nitrogen concentration (per dry weight) and the dry weight of the above-ground part of the plant, using single-stem-trained japonica rice (cv. Nipponbare) plants. The growth of rice plants was regulated by shading at two levels and nitrogen application at three levels from about 40 days before the heading (about 10 days before the panicle initiation). The number of spikelets per dry weight of the above-ground part of the plant at the end of the spikelet differentiation stage was linearly correlated with the nitrogen concentration at that time. The ratio of the spikelet dry weight at heading to the dry weight of the above-ground part of the plant at the end of the spikelet differentiation stage increased as the nitrogen concentration increased at a low nitrogen concentration, but the increase of the ratio slowed down at a nitrogen concentration of 2%. Decrease in dry weight of the spikelet resulted in a decrease of lemma size. Therefore, the ratio of the total husk volume on a panicle to the plant dry weight at the end of spikelet differentiation stage also increased as the nitrogen concentration increased at a low nitrogen concentration, but the increase stopped at a nitrogen concentration of 2% in contrast to the ratio of the spikelet number to the dry weight of the plant. These results suggest that, to increase the total husk volume on a panicle by nitrogen application, dry-matter production must be increased by the nitrogen application.     

Crop and water productivity as influenced by rice cultivation methods under organic and inorganic sources of nutrient supply

A field experiment was conducted during the wet seasons of 2010 and 2011 at New Delhi, India to study the influence of organic, inorganic, and integrated sources of nutrient supply under three methods of rice cultivation on rice yield and water productivity. The experiments were laid out in FRBD with nine treatment combinations. Treatment combinations included three sources of nutrient supply viz., organic, integrated nutrient management, and inorganic nutrition and three rice production systems viz., conventional transplanting, system of rice intensification (SRI) and aerobic rice system. Results indicated that the conventional and SRI showed at par grain and straw yields but their yields were significantly higher than aerobic rice. Grain yield under organic, inorganic and integrated sources of nutrient supply was at par since the base nutrient dose was same. Plant growth parameters like plant height, tillers, and dry matter accumulation at harvest stage were almost same under conventional and SRI but superior than aerobic rice system. Root knot nematode infestation was significantly higher in aerobic rice as compared to SRI and conventional rice. However, organic, inorganic and integrated sources of nutrient supply did not affect nematode infestation. There was significant advantage in term of water productivity under SRI over conventional transplanted (CT) rice and less quantity of water was utilized in SRI for production of each unit of grain. A water saving of 34.5–36.0 % in SRI and 28.9–32.1 % in aerobic rice was recorded as compared to CT rice.     

苯醚甲环唑在水稻和稻田中的残留

  为明确苯醚甲环唑在稻田系统的使用安全性,调查了我国3个不同水稻种植区域(湖南长沙、吉林长春和浙江杭州)苯醚甲环唑在稻田系统中的残留消解动态以及在糙米、稻壳、水稻茎秆和土壤中的最终残留量。按高剂量(112.5 g/hm2)施药1次后,苯醚甲环唑在不同种植区域水稻植株、稻田水和土壤中的半衰期分别为6.1~8.9 d,5.3~6.2 d和3.8~4.1 d。各试验点最终残留结果表明,施药后28 d采样时糙米中苯醚甲环唑的最终残留量均<0.01 mg/kg,水稻茎秆中含量最高,土壤中均未检出苯醚甲环唑(<0.01 mg/kg)。结合生产实际,按该试验设计的施药剂量、施药次数和采收间隔期,糙米、水稻茎秆和稻壳中苯醚甲环唑的残留量是安全的,但若是稻渔共作种植方式,则应尽量避免该农药的使用,以免对鱼类造成不利影响。     

Biochemical and Metabolomics on Rice Cultivars

Plant metabolites are important for both plant life and human nutrition. However, the genetic control of plant metabolome remains largely unknown. Here, we performed a genetic analysis of the different rice metabolome and isozymes which are highly versatile and non-destructive as bio-markers. Five isozymes peroxidase, catalase, malate dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH), polyphenol oxidase were studied to characterize the thirty rice cultivars and two hybrids KRH-2 and KRH-4 along with their parental lines. Among the zymograms, ADH was found to be useful for the detection of cultivars, like CTH1, IR64, IR30864, with an Rm value of 0.549. The metabolomics of rice cultivars by using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry instrument with selected reaction monitoring mode software identified the 66 metabolites in the rice samples, including amino, organic, fatty acids, alcohols and sugars(mono-/dis-accharides). All metabolites investigated varied significantly among rice samples. Jaya had the higher number of metabolites(15) with a peak for each metabolite, followed by Jyothi(13). This study demonstrated a powerful tool and provided a high-quality data for understanding the plant metabolome and isozymes, which may help bridge the gap between the genome and phenome.